When Todd Anderson (Storm P) signs a 30-million-dollar contract with the New Jersey Nets after being named the number one NBA draft pick of the year, his mother (
Jenifer Lewis) vows to prevent her son from forgetting his roots. Not used to balancing his new life with his old, Todd mistakenly invites family and friends from his old neighborhood to his multi-million-dollar house for a cookout on the same day of an important endorsement interview. Though his extravagant family cookouts were welcome at his old digs, Todd's stuffy new neighbors -- particularly the conservative Republican Judge Halsted Crowley (
Danny Glover) -- are less than thrilled with the arrival of Todd's massive family. Complicating the situation further is the eccentric neighborhood security guard (
Queen Latifah), who takes on the heady assignment of ensuring that none of the private community's rules are broken, as well as two thugs who, determined to get an autographed pair of sneakers, hold up the cookout at gunpoint. Directed by Lance Rivera, The Cookout also features performances from
Ja Rule,
Eve,
Farrah Fawcett, and
Jonathan Silverman. ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide